All Things Considered

Commonly referred to as "ATC" and a staple for afternoon commutes, NPR's nationally syndicated afternoon news magazine brings you closer to home with the presence of WAMU's local host.

Since May 3, 1971 All Things Considered has been produced every day from NPR's headquarters in Washington, D.C. Featuring a mix of news, interviews, commentaries, reviews, and offbeat features, "ATC" produces 2 hours of fresh content every day for hundreds of public radio stations around the United States.

Elliott Francis

Local Host, All Things Considered

Francis has worked alongside some of the most influential media executives in the U.S. during his 25 years as a news anchor, including FOX News President and Chairman Roger Ailes, former CNN Executive Vice President Ed Turner, and the founder and former CEO of Johnson Publishing Company, John H. Johnson. In 2002, shortly after joining the ABC news affiliate in Washington DC (WJLA-TV) as the morning co-anchor, Francis was thrust into the rigors of live, non-stop coverage of the DC sniper shootings and investigation, sometimes speaking 8-9 hours unscripted. A skilled interviewer, Francis once convinced singer John Denver to go "on-camera" with details of his upcoming DUI trial.

Friday, February 14, 2014

Thousands of Muslims have resorted to hiding in mosques or even churches, afraid of being killed by Christian militias. Many are asking for help crossing the border, but the United Nations is hesitant to support the minority's exodus.

Scientists have made some attempts to link mollusks to increased libido. There's even evidence that consuming heavy doses of an amino acid found in oysters can increase sperm count – in rabbits. But do any of these findings actually prove that oysters can — ahem — amp up arousal? Not so much.

Thursday, February 13, 2014

Termites are masters of construction in the insect world, working together to construct complex, sky-scraping homes with neither blueprint nor foreman. Harvard engineers have created 8-inch-long robots that can build in the same way — by sensing their environment, and applying a few rules.

Dorie Greenspan's quest for her friends' delectable chocolate mousse recipe was the stuff of private-eye fiction. In the face of French etiquette, she persevered — until her investigation finally yielded an answer to the mystery. As a Valentine's Day gift, she passes the surprisingly easy recipe along to us.

The snow and ice storms sweeping the East Coast have been felt not only on the ground but in the air, as well. Airlines are cancelling thousands of flights, and both the companies and their passengers have had to deal with the fallout.

Comcast, the nation's largest cable provider, is set to become even bigger. The Philadelphia-based company has reached an agreement to acquire Time Warner Cable, the nation's second-largest cable provider, in an all-stock deal valued at roughly $45 billion. Consumer groups oppose the deal on the grounds that it will hurt competition and raise prices. But the companies claim competition won't be harmed at all.

Strained relations between Afghanistan and the U.S. and NATO may only get worse this week. The Afghan government is releasing 65 prisoners, many of whom have been accused by the West of plotting and participating in terrorist activities. Robert Siegel speaks with Nathan Hodge of The Wall Street Journal to learn more about the rationale behind this release and what it might mean for Afghan security and diplomacy.

The Obama administration is considering targeting an American citizen who is suspected of plotting a terrorist attack. The possibility again raises questions about U.S. drone policy and whether an American's citizenship rights are lost once that person joins a terrorist organization.

More than a month has passed since a chemical leak polluted Charleston's water supply, and life is anything but normal for the 300,000 people in the area. Many still rely on bottled water or are getting water elsewhere. They're feeling an economic pinch and are upset with government officials.

Beirut's sprawling southern suburb used to be a lively place, with cafes and juice bars spilling onto the streets. But it's also an area where Hezbollah enjoys wide support, and as the group has got more involved in the Syrian conflict, there have been repercussions for its supporters in the form of car bombs. The once-vibrant area is now filling sandbags and putting up blast walls — though a feisty spirit endures.

Another spate of harsh winter weather has hit the East Coast, wreaking havoc with power lines and airline itineraries along the way. Cities unused to the snow and ice are having the toughest time coping with the storms. We hear first from Dwayne Cartwright, President and CEO of South Carolina-based Berkeley Electric Cooperative. He says that at one point about two-thirds of their customers experienced an outage. Then Ron Carlee, the city manager of Charlotte, N.C., joins us to discuss the ways his city is dealing with the weather.

The U.S. and Russian men's hockey teams played at the same time on Thursday. The teams will meet on the ice Saturday, when they will renew a storied rivalry that includes such historic games as the Miracle on Ice.

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